Labour codes
The four codes that replaced India's central labour laws, and the slow work of putting them into practice in the states.
The Code on Wages, the Industrial Relations Code, the Code on Social Security and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code replaced 29 central labour laws. They came into force on 21 November 2025.
Where things stand
The Centre notified its rules under all four codes on 8 May 2026. Because labour is on the concurrent list and states are the appropriate government in most cases, much depends on state rules. On 24 September 2026, Labour Secretary Chandra Bhushan Kumar said ten states had published final rules and the rest had drafts, and that the Centre hoped all would be done by 31 October.
The government has not named the ten. Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh and Bihar are reported by more than one reliable source to have final rules under all four codes. In July, The Tribune reported that Kerala had sought more time and West Bengal had not published draft rules.
Rules already notified differ between states, for example on gratuity for fixed-term staff and on conditions for women working night shifts. A Grant Thornton Bharat report, cited by Business Standard, says the codes cut the number of rules from 1,436 to 351 and returns from 31 to one.
Key dates
- 21 Nov 2025Four codes come into force
- Feb 2026Parliament amends the Industrial Relations Code
- 8 May 2026Central rules notified
- 24 Sep 2026Ten states have final rules, says Labour Secretary
- 31 Oct 2026Centre's target for all state rules
Key numbers
- 29central laws replaced
- 10states with final rules, 24 Sep 2026
- 1 yearservice after which fixed-term staff become eligible for gratuity under the codes
- 1% to 2%of aggregators' turnover to go towards gig worker social security, capped at 5% of payouts
Key questions
Are the labour codes in force? Yes, since 21 November 2025. But many provisions work through state rules, and most states had only drafts as of late September 2026.
What do workers gain? Appointment letters, a statutory minimum wage, timely pay, gratuity for fixed-term staff after one year, free annual health check-ups for workers over 40, and social security for gig and platform workers, according to the government’s list as summarised by KPMG.
Are the rules the same in every state? No. Gujarat’s rules require five years of service for fixed-term gratuity, while several states require one, according to Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas. Conditions for women on night shifts also differ.
What is the Labour Stack? A platform the Labour Ministry is building to link worker databases and welfare schemes, aimed at unorganised, gig and platform workers. Kumar said on 24 September that a pilot was expected within 15 days; LokVox has not confirmed whether it has started.